Lauren

I am planning a trip to Costa Rica for next year. I want to learn to surf and my husband wants to fish. We are looking for somewhere quiet and relaxed. Any suggestions? Thank you for your help.

A. Fisher

I haven't been but a friend of mine went to Nosara on the Nicoya Peninsula,a real surfer's mecca.<BR>She also rented a Panga for a day US$250 had good success with Sails/Dorado/YF Tuna.<BR>http://www.traveltechtours.com/surf/map.htm for some idea of where the place is/other spots.<BR>The Nicoya Peninsula is more remote and so you're less likely to run into the tourist hordes that plague CR-as at Jaco Beach for instance.

Ally

I second Nosara. It's a very nice laid back area. You can rent good boards from Harbor Reef Hotel. They have great boards to "learn" on. The fishing is good too. We hired a Panga for about $75-$100 for a 1/2 day, which is all we needed. It was just the two of us and the skipper, so no large crowds on the boat either. We caught 2 large yellow fin tuna and a hugh dolphin fish, which was more than we needed!

Iza

Lauren, I think that Tamarindo area would suit you very well too. Playa Tamarindo and Playa Grande are known for good surfing. There is fishing in Tamarindo and nearby in Playa Flamingo.

Ally

While I agree that there is surfing and fishing in Tamarindo, it's NOT that quiet. Nosara is much more quiet.

David N Cook

If you want to LEARN to surf there may be only a few choices near the larger beach towns like Tamarindo, Jaco, or Dominical. The last is the smallest and most laid-back of the Pacific surf towns. They all have surf shops where you can find boards for sale or rent and possibly instruction. There is surf all up and down the Pacific coast, Nosara is just one beach town, kind of out of the way. I have no experience with fishing but the major towns are the ones mentioned above and also Quepos, near Manuel Antonio.Good luck, you'll have fun no matter what!